Page 48 of Three Pucking Words
Her lips pinch into an O, but she slowly nods and turns her chair toward me. “Okay,” she says slowly. “Is it serious? This feels like a serious conversation, and I’ve only had one cup of coffee so far that was lackluster.”
Her version of coffee is one of those overly sweet drinks that cost twelve dollars and has more sugar, milk, and flavored creamers than actual caffeine.
“Do you have plans tonight?” I ask.
Her head cocks with an inquisitive look that’s both amused and concerned. “Uh, yeah. The game. Same as you, I think.”
My smile comes easily. “I meanafterthe game, wiseass. I’ll be a little tied up with the whole playing it thing for at least two hours myself.”
She grins.
“Anyway, I wanted to know if you’d go to dinner afterwards.”
Honor’s face slackens the second the words are out, dissipating any smile on her face. It’s not exactly a welcome reaction. “Like…a date?” Her voice is a little higher than normal, but I pretend not to notice.
“No. God no.” What’s meant to be a comforting reply makes her visibly flinch, and I realize she must take it the wrong way.
“Okay then,” she murmurs slowly, starting to turn her chair back to her computer.
Closing my eyes, I pinch the bridge of my nose I’m an idiot. I stop her from giving me her back, gently grabbing ahold of the arm of her chair. “It’s not because I wouldn’t take you on one, Honor. Don’t get that mixed up. We’re going at your pace, whatever that pace is.”
Her attention comes back to me with red coloring her cheekbones. This time, she doesn’t say anything at all.
“Tonight is more like a group thing, but someonemightthink it’s a date,” I explain, albeit badly.
All she does is stare at me.
Sighing, I pull out a seat from the corner of the room and fold myself into the little plastic thing that may break under my weight based on how it groans. “Do you remember me mentioning a girl named Olive?”
Honor nods. “Sebastian Henderson’s sister.”
Wetting my lips, I dip my head. “That’s the one. She’s meeting up with Henderson for dinner and wants me to tagalong. It’s nothing I haven’t done a million times before, but things are a little different now.”
“Why? Because you liked her?”
There’s no hesitation in the inquiry.
So, I don’t hold back the truth. “I didn’t exactly hold back flirting with her in the past,” I admit, watching her eyebrows go up again. “It was usually harmless because she never seemed all that interested in me. It was mostly to get a rise out of her brother.”
“But something happened,” she surmises.
The day she made a move on me at her mother’s house, I knew I should have stopped it. But I’d been pining after my teammate’s little sister for God only knows how long. She knew hockey like the back of her hand and could dish out sass like it was a three-star Michelin meal. I liked being around her because she was different than the other girls I typically spent time with. She had a depth that most puck bunnies didn’t, and I latched on to that. Plus, I was lonely. I liked the idea of being with someone without thinking about thinking too deeply about who that person was.
Poor mistake on my part.
“We hooked up,” I murmur, being as honest as I can and watching Honor look away. “And things weren’t weird after that.They were actually pretty normal. Until I admitted how I felt. That’s when they fell apart. Turns out, she was cool with it until feelings were involved.”
Honor frowns. “Seems hard to believe someone wouldn’t be interested in at least seeing where things go with you.”
Then why aren’t you?is the first question that pops into my head, but I suppress that like a bad dream. “She didn’t picture herself as a mother. And, for obvious reasons, that’s problematic. But that wasn’t the only issue that prevented us from going any further.”
Honor nods along. “You said she was in love with someone else.”
The reminder of Alexander O’Conner doesn’t make my stomach react the way it used to. I’ve come to terms with their relationship. I’ve seen them together since she chose him. And Alex is a great hockey player. His teammates are worthy opponents who make us work for a victory. “I’m happy for her. Forthem.” I’m casted a doubtful glance, which makes me laugh lightly. “I am, believe it or not. I’m a firm believer that things happen for a reason. The woman I introduce into my daughter’s life will love her as if she’s her own. She’ll play with her even if Gemma’s games make no sense. She’ll answer her millions of questions without getting mad. She’ll just…fit into our lives.”
Honor watches me, and I wonder what’s going on in her mind. Should I have brought up kids knowing her situation? She doesn’t seem sad or upset. If anything, there’s understanding in her eyes as she slowly moves her head up and down.
I lean back in the chair. “Thing is, Olive still feels bad about how things went down. Doesn’t matter how many times I’ve told her it’s fine, she thinks I’m holding back because of it. Which couldn’t be less true.”
